Opening of collapsed shells of slide and shell containers



June 21, 1938. 2,121,186

OPENING OF COLLAPSED SHELLS 0F SLIDE AND SHELL CONTAINERS J. CRIGHTONFiled Nov. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Shee t 1,

M Irv 7 4AM W W S n v i W J. CRIGHTON June 21, 1938.

OPENING OF COLLAFSED SHELLS 0F SLIDE AND SHELL CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 18,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 21, 1938 PATENT OFFICE OPENING OFCOLLAPSED SHELLS F SLIDE AND SHELL CONTAINERS John Crighton, London,England, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, New York, N.Y.-, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 18, 1936, SerialNo. 111.420

4 In Great Britain November 20, 1935 13 Claims.

I This invention relates to the packin'gs for cigarettes and otherarticles of the type wherein the packing comprises a slide and shell,and the invention has particular reference to the shell opening orerecting mechanism by which a collapsed shell is opened or erected readyfor the insertion of a loaded slide.

Prior constructions of shell opening or erecting means have involvedmore or less complicated mechanism requiring a number of operations andit is an object of the present invention to provide improved andsimplified mechanism in which the number of operations to effect anopening or erection of the shell is reduced to a minimum. 15 Accordingto the invention, the shell opening means comprises a plurality ofco-operating elements which are mounted for rotation and said elementsare coupled to a reciprocating operating bar or member whereby movementof said rotary elements to eifect opening of the shell is eifected by asingle movement of said operating member. The invention consists in amethod of opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers, com--prising imparting an initial bending movement to the short sides of theshell about the crease lines and towards the broad sides whilepreventing an opening movement of said broad sides and continuing thebending movement while permitting a free movement of the broad sidesaway from one another.

The invention also consists in means for opening collapsed shells ofslide and shell containers comprising a pluralityof co-operating shellengaging devices mounted for rotation and means for actuating saiddevices comprising a reciprocating member operatively coupled to saidelements.

The shell engaging devices may be rotated by pinions meshing wtih areciprocating rack bar.

The invention also consists in means for opening collapsed shells ofslide and shell containers comprising a table or support for thecollapsed shell, a pivotally mounted shell engaging element locatedadjacent one edge of the table and forming a stop for locating the shellon the table, a pivotally mounted shell engaging element. adjacent theopposite edge of the table and adapted to impart an erecting or openingmovement to 50 the shell and means for rotating said elements.

Further features of the invention will be hereinafter described anddefined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side view of a shell opening ma- 55 chine according to theinvention.

Figures 1a and lb are diagrams showing certain steps in the opening of ashell. a

Figure 2 is a plan correspondingto Figure 1, certain parts being leftout.

Figure 3 is a partial elevation showing the 5 essential parts inthefshell opened position.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode astationary table or support i0 is provided onto which the collapsedshells are adapted to be fed from a stack or magazine Ii. The lowermostshell is fed from the stack by means of a reciprocating feeding tooth l2which is mounted upon a carriage l3 connected by a link It to a pivotedlever I5. The lever is oscillated by a crank disc I 6 to which it isconnected by a rod l1.

The direction of feed of the collapsed shells is at right angles to theaxis of the shell.

When in position on the table the collapsed shell lies so that thenarrow wall l8 at the leading edge 1. e. to the right as seen in Figure1a lies uppermost and the corresponding wall l9 at the trailing edgelies beneath.

Associated with the table III are three elements 20, 2|, 22 which aremounted to rotate upon axes lying parallel to the walls of the shell, 1.e. at right angles to the direction of feed. The elements 2| and 20 areof angular form and are located adjacent the forward and rear ends ofthe table respectively. The element which forms a resi1ient'80 abutment22 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 23 conveniently carried by theforward wall 24 of the magazine. The abutment element 22 lies above theelement 20 and is provided with a tail portion 25 normallyabuttingagainst a stop pin 26 by means of the returning spring 21.

The element 20 (referred to hereinafter as the shell erecting element)is of angular form having walls 20a. and 20b which are substantially atright angles. The shell erecting element 20 is pivotally mounted on anaxis beyond the end of the table Ill but in the plane of the top of thetable. For this purpose the element is mounted upon an arm 28 having aboss 29 fixed upon a spindle 30 which is carried in bearings l l in abracket 32. Normally the shell erecting element 20 lies with the longwall 20a. downwardly inclined and with the short wall 20b projectingupwardly, the nose 32, however, lying beneath the plane of the table sothat it offers no obstruction to the feeding of the shells.

The element 2| (hereinafter referred to as the shell locating element)is also oi angular form having walls Ma. and 2") which enclose an acuteangle. The longer wall 2la overlaps the end of the table with theshorter wall projecting downwardly. This element is pivotally mounted onan axis coinciding with the apex of the angle formed by the walls 2k:and 2"), such axis being somewhat below the plane of the table.

The upper surface of the table adjacent the shell locating element 2| isinclined downwardly at Ma so that on insertion of a collapsed shell theedge will engage the wall Ma and be directed downwardly until such edgeengages in the angle between the walls 210., 2lb in which positionthenarrow wall I! of the shell will be bent out of alignment with the upperbroad wall 33 of the shell as indicated diagrammatically in Figure la.

The shell locating element 2| is adapted to be rotated and is carried byan arm ll mounted upon a spindle 25 carried in bearings 32 in thebracket 31.

when a collapsed shell is in position on the table its rear edge it liessubstantially vertically above the angle 01 the shell erecting element20. The narrow wall I! at this end of the shell lies beneath and. thehinge crease line 2! lies adjacent or coincident with the axis ofrotation of the shell erecting element 20.

The abutment element 22 normally lies so that its edge 22a will lieabove the crease line it or an inserted shell and in engagement with thebroad wall 32 against which it is pressed by the spring 21.

Rotation of the shell erecting elements 20 and the shell locatingelement 2! is eflected by means of pinions 40, H of which Al is mountedupon the spindle 30 while 4| is tree on the spindle 35 but is providedwith a projection or tooth 42 adapted for engagement with a projectionor tooth 42 on the spindle 2!.

The pinions mesh with a rack bar ll having racks l5, 46. The rack bar 44is guided for reciprocation and is connected by a link 41 to a pivotedlever 48 having a roll 40 which engages a rotary cam 50. The returnmovement of the rack bar is eilected by the spring 5|.

The provision of the co-operating teeth l2, l2 permits a delay in therotary movement 0! the shell locating element 2i and in order to holdthe element in its normal position with its wall 21a engaging or closelyadjacent the upper surface of the table, the spindle 25 is provided withan arm 52 to which a spring 62 is attached. the other end of the springbeing anchored on a pin 54.

In operation, a collapsed shell is fed onto the Q table I II until theleading edge engages in the angle of the locating element 2|; In thisposition the iorward edge of the shell is bent downwardly in a positionin which the upper narrow wall It is bent about the crease line Irelatively to the upper broad wall 22 as indicated in Figure 1a. At thetrailing end the edge 22a of the abutment element 22 which is located ata distance from the table substantially equal to the thickness of thecollapsed shell engages the wall 32 immediately above the crease line29. On the cam 50 operating, the rack bar 44 is moved to the left(Figure 1).

This rotates the pinions l0 and ll. The rotation oi pinion 40 causes theerecting element 20 to rotate andengage the wall I! of the shell andbend up said wall about the crease line 29 against the pressure 0! theelement 22 (see Figure lb). Continued movement of shell erecting element20 brings the nose 32 into engagement with abutment element 22 wherebythe latter is lifted clear 01' the opening shell and permitting the wall32 to rise away from the lower broad wall it. It is to be noted that thewall 20b of the shell erecting element is spaced from the axis ofrotation a distance equal to the wall I! (see Figure 3). 7

During the initial movement of the pinion ll no movement of the locatingelement 2| occurs, until the projections 42, 43 engage whereupon theelement is rotated to permit the wall it of the shell to open away fromthe lower wall 58.

The elements 20, 2| continue their rotary movement until the shell isfinally erected as indicated in Figure 3, whereupon the opened orerected shell is removed by any suitable means, by a movement in thedirection of its length.

The parts then return to their original position ready for the insertionof another collapsed shell. Instead of a rack and pinion drive forrotating the elements 20, 2|, the latter may be provided with any wellknown or suitable operating device ior producing the desired movement.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of opening collapsed shells oi! slide and shellcontainers, comprising imparting an initial bending movement to theshort sides of the collapsed shell about the crease lines andtoward thebroad sides by advancing the collapsed shell positively against anopposed gradually retiring force, while preventing initially an openingmovement of said broad sides and then permitting an initial openingmovement of the upper broad side and concurrently applying a bendingforce at the trailing creased edge joint of said shell, to erect saidtrailing edge, while permitting .a free movement of the broad sides awayfrom one another, and thereby erecting positively the remote short edgeor the partly opened shell against said constantly opposed retiringforce.

2. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers,comprising a plurality of co-operating shell-engaging devices mountedfor rotation, means to rotate one oi said devices upward toward a shortside of the shell, and means to rotate the other device upward and awayfrom the opposite short side of the shell, whereby said rotatable.devices are adapted to apply oppositely directed erecting forcesagainst the short sides of said collapsed shells substantially.

throughout the period of effective erection, and means for actuatingsaid device rotating means comprising a reciprocating member operativelycoupled to said elements.

3. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers,having the features claimed in claim 2, in which said means for rotatingsaid devices comprises a pinion on each of said rotating devices. and arack common to both oi! said pinions, and means for reciprocating saidrack.

4. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers,comprising a support for the collapsed shell, a pivotally mounted shellengaging element located adjacent one edge of the support and forming astop for locating the shell on the support, a pivotally mounted shellengaging element adjacent the opposite edge of the support and adaptedto impart an erecting movement to the shell and means for rotating bothof said elements, each acting to exert erectlve pressure progressivelyagainst one of said edges.

5. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers, asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element is pivoted on anaxis below the plane of the support and partially overlaps the supportwhereby the collapsed shell is given an initial downwardly bendingmovement about the crease line of the adjacent narrow wall of the shell.

6. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers, asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element is pivoted on anaxis below the plane of the support and partially overlaps the supportwhereby the collapsed shell is given an initial downwardly bend ingmovement about the crease line of the adjacent narrow wall of the shelland wherein a pivoted abutment element is provided adapted to engage theupper surface of the collapsed shell at a point coinciding with thecrease line of the trailing narrow wall ofthe shell, said elementproviding an abutment whereby the shell is given an upward bend aboutsaid crease line when the shell erecting element is rotated.

7. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers, asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element is pivoted on anaxis below the plane of the support and partially overlaps the supportwhereby the collapsed shell is given an initial downwardly bendingmovement about the crease line of the adjacent narrow wall of the shelland wherein a pivoted abutment element is provided adapted to engage theupper surface of the collapsed shell at a point coinciding with thecrease line of the trailing narrow wall of the shell, said elementproviding an abutment whereby the shell is given an upward bend aboutsaid crease line when the shell erecting element is rotated, saidabutment element being spring pressed and being moved clear of the shellafter said upward bending movement by the engagement therewith or aprojection on the shell erecting element.

8. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell engaging elements are of angularform, the angle of the shell locating element being acute while that ofthe shell erecting element is substantially a right angle.

9. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element and the shellerecting element are mounted upon spindles provided with pinions meshingwith a rack element and means for reciprocating said rack element toimpart rotary movements to the shell engaging elements.

10. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element and the shellerecting element are mounted upon spindlesprovidedwith pinions meshingwith a rack element and means for reciprocating said rack element toimpart rotary movements to the shell engaging elements and wherein lostmotion means are provided between the shell locating element and itspinion, whereby the rotation of said element is delayed until the shellerecting element has imparted a bending up movement to the associatednarrow wall of the shell.

11. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element and the shellerecting element are mounted upon spindles provided with pinions meshingwith a rack element and means for reciprocating said rack element toimpart rotary movements to the shell engaging elements wherein the rackis reciprocated by rotary cam controlled means.

12. Means for opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the shell locating element and the'shellerecting element are mounted upon spindles provided with pinions meshingwith a rack element and means for reciprocating said rack element toimpart rotary movements to the shell engaging elements wherein the rackis reciprocated by rotary cam controlled means and wherein the collapsedshell is led to the support by a reciprocating tooth feed operated froma crank actuated by said cam shaft.

13. A method'of opening collapsed shells of slide and shell containers,comprising the step of applying an advancing erective force against onecreased edge of the collapsed shell, and applying an opposed graduallyretiring erective force against the oppositely facing creased edge ofthe collapsed shell, and continuing the application of said opposedadvancing and retiring erective forces progressively until the shell iscompletely erected.

7 JOHN CRIGHTON.

